If you’re packing suitcases and boarding planes soon, welcome to “holiday travel season,” that magical time when love fills the air as well as a billion microscopic germs!
As a pharmacist (and grandma), I’m all too aware that airports, airplanes, and gas-station bathrooms can turn even the healthiest immune system into a battlefield. Avoid them if you can. Whether you’re wrangling toddlers, hugging grandkids, or visiting older folks right after a flight, a little immune foresight can mean the difference between a joyful reunion and spending Thanksgiving with a box of tissues and a thermometer.
1. Airplanes, Airports and Hotel Rooms: Germ Factories in Disguise
Do you remember my recent blog about alcohol pads? It’s right HERE. Those tiny wipes and other sprays and wipes are still one of your best defenses against germs, so carry them. Use them without any shame. Swipe your phone screen, tray table, seat belt buckle, remote controls and light switches. You’d be disgusted by what lives in those spots! According to a survey, the self-check in screen at the airport was the MOST germiest spot in the airport. After that, it was a gate seat armrest, and then the next spot was a water fountain button.
Airplanes recycle cabin air, and dry airways are more vulnerable to infection. Bring saline spray to keep your nasal passages hydrated. If you’re taking antihistamines for allergies, be mindful that they can further dry you out, and just hydrate more than you think is necessary. Carry stick packs of your favorite electrolyte powder to pour in your bottled water.
2. Watch Out for the “Vacation Medication Shuffle”
Travel often means shifting time zones, skipping doses, or doubling up by accident. That’s a fast track to side effects or immune suppression.
- Antacids can reduce stomach acid which can be your first defense against ingested pathogens.
- Antibiotics can disrupt your gut flora, leaving your immune army short-staffed.
- Steroids (prednisone, inhalers) and BIOLOGICS for autoimmune conditions may blunt your immune response altogether. If you take one of those biologics or steroids every day for your condition, you must look it up on my website drugmuggers.com because it is depleting nutrients from your body that might need restoration.
Also, if you’re on any of these drugs, take extra care with hand hygiene, avoid raw or undercooked foods, and boost your nutrients proactively.
3. Immune Boosters That Actually Work (and Won’t Keep You Up at Night)
This is where I get excited because nature has some gentle, effective allies. A well-chosen blend of immune-supportive nutrients taken at bedtime can help your body’s natural defenses recharge while you sleep. Look for supplements or foods that include calming botanicals, antioxidants, and minerals that assist nightly repair and immune balance.
If you’re already fighting a mild bug or feeling worn down from travel, nutrients like zinc, NAC, IODINE and vitamin C can be particularly helpful. Read this article next: 7 Ridiculously Simple Ways to Protect Yourself from Cold & Flu – And 4 No-No’s
4. Protecting the Little Ones (and the Grandparents) During Holiday Travel
Kids are miniature germ cannons, albeit sometimes disguised as little angels. Their immune systems are still learning, and every surface is fair game for exploration! When they come of age, teach your little ones good habits like washing hands before eating, not sharing cups, covering their mouth when they cough or sneeze, and how to use tissues properly.
For the older generation, encourage nutrient-dense meals, moderate exercise, and sufficient sleep. Immune resilience is directly tied to restorative rest, and travel often throws that off.
5. Keep Your Inner Terrain Healthy During Holiday Travel
A well-hydrated, well-nourished body is a poor host for infection. Sip water regularly (especially if you’re sipping wine later), move your body to keep lymph flowing, and consider probiotics for an added gentle immunity boost.
I like several probiotics including Dr. Ohhira’s brand which I have taken for years. I also learned about this new strain called Akkermansia and how eating dark chocolate will make it flourish! Read this blog next: 5 Reasons Akkermansia Might Be the Most Important Microbe You’ve Never Heard Of
Keep in mind, stress depletes immune nutrients faster than sugar. If you can, plan your travel so you’re not rushing every moment. The calmer you are, the stronger your immune resilience.
We can’t control what’s floating through the airport air vents, but we can control our own terrain as well as our level of hydration, nutrition, stress, and restorative sleep. Stock your travel kit with the essentials like antihistamines, saline nasal spray, alcohol pads, throat lozenges, and acetaminophen for fever. Include your normal supplements of course.
Suzy Cohen, has been a licensed pharmacist for over 30 years and believes the best approach to chronic illness is a combination of natural medicine and conventional. She founded her own dietary supplement company specializing in custom-formulas, some of which have patents. With a special focus on functional medicine, thyroid health and drug nutrient depletion, Suzy is the author of several related books including Thyroid Healthy, Drug Muggers, Diabetes Without Drugs, and a nationally syndicated column.
